Any quick opinions from Ford owners? The vehicle in question has 135K miles. Thanks.
2014 Ford Expedition 5.4?
- Thread starter gfh77665
- Start date
No expert but it appears that was the final year of production for that 3 valve V-8 engine after 9 years of production which hopefully means the bugs were worked out. Here are a couple of screen shots.
dnewton3
Staff member
The 5.4L 3v is a known problem when the cam phasers cause issues. Expensive fix. Plenty of YT videos on the topic; check them out.
If it has cam phaser issues it will rattle on start up.
I've know more than a dozen guys with the 3V 5.4s over the years, only one had to replace the cam phasers and he was the 7500 mile oil change guy of the bunch.
135k sounds low, but it's plenty for the 3V to start having problems. Most likely candidates are the hydraulic tensioners or the phasers, but really ANYTHING in the timing set or valvetrain could have failed. Seized roller followers are a problem and they'll tick for a long time before going boom.
Unless it's a screaming deal and dead quiet when started cold AND at hot idle, I'd pass. You can do better, really.
The talk of "updates" is really a feel-good thing, like putting a fire extinguisher on the Hindenburg. The plastic tensioners supposedly got better seals and eventually the roller followers got a much smaller hole to theoretically increase oil pressure top-side. They may have revised the design of one of the chain guides? (Ford liked to rearrange the bolt holes on their guides, sometimes requiring a longer bolt)
Unless it's a screaming deal and dead quiet when started cold AND at hot idle, I'd pass. You can do better, really.
The talk of "updates" is really a feel-good thing, like putting a fire extinguisher on the Hindenburg. The plastic tensioners supposedly got better seals and eventually the roller followers got a much smaller hole to theoretically increase oil pressure top-side. They may have revised the design of one of the chain guides? (Ford liked to rearrange the bolt holes on their guides, sometimes requiring a longer bolt)
You can hide a LOT of these problems with 10W40, 15W40 or 20W50. So if you think the seller is the least bit savvy, I always consider this to be a possibility.
At hot (the hotter the better) idle you really want to stand in front of the vehicle and have someone wrap it up to ~3k then let off suddenly. Listen for anything that sounds like rattling chains because that'll be, well....rattling chains.
But you also want to listen for rattles in the first few seconds of start-up even when stone cold -- again, the colder the better
At hot (the hotter the better) idle you really want to stand in front of the vehicle and have someone wrap it up to ~3k then let off suddenly. Listen for anything that sounds like rattling chains because that'll be, well....rattling chains.
But you also want to listen for rattles in the first few seconds of start-up even when stone cold -- again, the colder the better
In my opinion, the 5.4 3V is just a bit too much of a gamble. I've seen them with 300K+ miles, but have also seen the motors totally fail around 100K. I had a 2010 F150 w/ the 5.4 and it ate the cam at 106K miles. My brother has been terrible with maintenance on his 2007 and it's still ticking(literally at startup) at 200K+.
Only way I would even consider would be lower mileage, quiet at cold startup and operating temp, AND a great deal. Problem is, my 2010 met this criteria and still failed. Aside from the motor, loved the truck. Towed 7500 lbs with it a couple times and it was just "adequate".
Only way I would even consider would be lower mileage, quiet at cold startup and operating temp, AND a great deal. Problem is, my 2010 met this criteria and still failed. Aside from the motor, loved the truck. Towed 7500 lbs with it a couple times and it was just "adequate".
I personally serviced a 2004 with 406k mi and the owner claimed it was the original engine.
He also said he religiously ran a block heater as he lived most of his life in MT. I then discovered my wife's '08 had a factory block heater and now plug it in every night of our CO winters (which pale to MT, of course). FTM has a great vid on fitting an aftermarket heater, if anyone is interested.
Anyway, some will note '04 was the first year of the 3V. What's that about updates, you say?
He also said he religiously ran a block heater as he lived most of his life in MT. I then discovered my wife's '08 had a factory block heater and now plug it in every night of our CO winters (which pale to MT, of course). FTM has a great vid on fitting an aftermarket heater, if anyone is interested.
Anyway, some will note '04 was the first year of the 3V. What's that about updates, you say?
Thank you all, I will avoid. The cam phazers were a concern verified.
Looking for a used, full size SUV, $10K or under.
Any suggestions welcomed.
Looking for a used, full size SUV, $10K or under.
Any suggestions welcomed.
Find a 00-03 with the 2V 5.4 That motor will outlive you.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
This. We owned an '02, my parents just sold their 2000. Powertrains were still perfect.
The 5.4 is one of those excellent engines with built in weak points.
1) The later versions are far better.
2) A rattle on startup can be the cam chain tensioners taking up the slack of a loose chain, not just the phasers (caused by chain wear/low vis oil and extended OCI's)
3) The oil pump backing plate leaks a bit, as do the chain tensioners.
4) Because of the above, the use of thin oil results in lack of oil to phasers, cam followers and cam bearings.
5) The 5.4 will last forever if operated on 10W-40 syn and 5K OCI's. It's not to hide problems, it is to prevent them.
TLDR, the engine is not tolerant of thin oil.
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By 2014....A 3V 5.4L is easily a 200,000 mile engine if maintained.....I highly recommend a HOT oil pressure test after a few wide open pulls using a mechanical gauge or a Transducer/Scope.
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It's a crap shoot. I had a 2005 Expedition with the 5.4 3V and it ran fine when I gave it away with 230k miles on it a couple of years ago.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
A friend of mine has a 2011 Expedition EL with the 5.4L, about 315k miles. Pretty much all she’s ever done to it is a water pump, brakes, A/C compressor, and struts. It actually drives really nice still.
Though sometimes the engine is kinda noisy off and on, burns some oil these days. She replaced it with a Highlander and it’s an extra car now.
Though sometimes the engine is kinda noisy off and on, burns some oil these days. She replaced it with a Highlander and it’s an extra car now.
